Pages

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Charles Carroll of Carrollton, RIP

The last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, died on November 14, 1832, at the age of 91! He was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration and he did much to support the cause of independence:

Carroll’s position in the emerging revolutionary politics became clear in 1773 as a result of a series of letters published in the Maryland Gazette. Signing himself “First Citizen,” he publicly debated “Antilon,” the powerful provincial official Daniel Dulaney, on freedom of conscience and the rights of the elected assembly versus the powers of appointed government. Carroll gained public acclaim for embracing the principle that the people are the true foundation of government and emerged as the citizens’ “patriot.” He was then appointed to the Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council of Safety. Charles Carroll was soon elected to the 2nd Maryland Convention in 1774, his first elected office. In effect, the ban on Catholics serving in Maryland politics ended with Carroll’s election to the 2nd Convention in November, 1774. In 1775, he became a member of the Maryland Committee of Correspondence and Council of Safety.Early in 1776, Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase and Benjamin Franklin were appointed as commissioners to Canada. Along with Carroll’s cousin John Carroll, they were challenged to enlist Canadian support and alliance in the growing conflict with Great Britain. Although, this delegation returned unsuccessful, Carroll, with growing prestige, was given credit along with Samuel Chase for their successful efforts to persuade Maryland to instruct its delegates to vote in favor of independence. He was elected as a Maryland representative and joined the other delegates, from a now unified thirteen colonies, at the 2nd Continental Congress,to sign the Declaration of Independence document in Philadelphia on August 2, 1776. . . .Charles Carroll leased his Annapolis house in 1821 and moved to his daughter (Mary Caton) and son-in-law’s home on Lombard Street in Baltimore (now known as the Carroll Mansion of the Baltimore City Life Museums). By 1822, the first sanctioned Catholic Church in Annapolis, St. Mary’s, was erected and built on the Carroll property. In 1826, Charles Carroll of Carrollton became the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence with the deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4th. Two years later at the age of 91, Carroll laid the cornerstone for the B&O Railroad. He died in his 96th year on November 14, 1832, at the Caton home. Following a national day of mourning, he was interred at the family country seat, Doughoregan Manor.

No comments:

Post a Comment

SUPREMACY AND SURVIVAL

Face-off on the Cover: Henry VIII and Blessed John Henry Newman

Welcome to My Blog

The purpose of this blog is for me to publish not-quite-daily updates on my continuing research on the English Reformation and its aftermath, especially for Catholics until Emancipation in 1829; I'll particularly highlight the stories of the Catholic Martyrs of England and Wales, especially those beatified and canonized by the Holy See. I will also highlight promotional events for Supremacy and Survival: How Catholics Endured the English Reformation.

If you like my blog, you might like my book, available from these retailers, on Kindle, and Nook! [If you want a signed copy, please contact me via email: englishreform(at)cox(dot)net].

Comment moderation is turned on; since I am not a full-time writer/blogger but have a full-time job outside the home please be patient with me logging in to approve comments. Unsigned Anonymous comments will not be published.

Speakers Bureau

I am a member of the Speakers Bureau for the Diocese of Wichita. Please see my profile here, including a list of topics and sample presentations.

Copyright Notice

Copyright 2010-2017 by Stephanie A. Mann

Note about Pictures, Illustrations, and Links

The pictures and illustrations from other sources on my blog are in the public domain as far as I am able to ascertain. When I post photographs that I have taken, my common copyright to them is asserted. Please do not post on other sites without my express permission.

When I link to another blog or website, please understand that it does not necessarily mean that I recommend or agree with everything on that blog or website. Finally, please remember that links may not always work because pages move or expire on other websites. Thank you.